Bibles for China

I don't know about you, but I regularly take for granted the blessings all around me --  whether that when I turn on the facet water comes out (not only that it flows, but that it is safe for me to drink), when I'm hungry I can either go the pantry, refrigerator, or store to find something to eat, or I'm tired and I go to sleep on my soft bed filled with pillows.

If you were to look around your bookshelves, how many Bibles would you see?  Probably more than entire villages in areas of the world where the Word is restricted and not easily available. 

Last October, when in China, I was in a meeting with a pastor, a government official, and others.  The topic of a new rural church which the current church is building came up.  When we asked the government official (who usually we do not have much interaction with and who has the ability to send us out of the country if we say something incorrect about our intentions regarding faith activities) if we could help purchase Bibles for those who would be attending the new church, many of whom are poor and could not afford to buy one on their own, he said, "Sure.  No problem."

Recently a friend of mine, who is living and serving full time in China passed through town while home for a summer break.  Into the Field was able to give her money which she has now taken back with her and will go to the church where she will work with the pastor to make the purchase and get the Bibles into the hands of those who need them.  What an amazing opportunity to be able to help provide the Word to those who crave and deeply desire it!

Blind Faith?

In what do you put your faith? For as long as I can remember I have had a great sense of direction. When my great aunt was alive, she would tell stories about how, when I was just 3, I let her know when we were lost and driving in circles in New York City.

Well...confession time...today I was headed from my house in Columbus to see my sister and her family outside of Philadelphia. Dad told me to drive his car since it gets better mileage than mine and has the GPS. He swears by his GPS. So instead of doing my usual "Map quest" printouts, by blind faith, I decided to let Mildred (that's what we named to "lady" in the GPS) to lead me safely there.

To quote Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman", "Big mistake! HUGE!"

I turned on the car and turned off my brain. Mildred said "turn", I turned. Mildred said "exit", I exited. The next thing I knew, I was approaching Marietta - which is NOT along the route that I am supposed to be following. I called Dad. I won't tell you exactly what he said to me, but needless to say, I confirmed the route I was supposed to be taking.

I turned around (Mildred's detour cost me an extra hour and a half on my journey). She kept telling me to get off and go the other direction. But this time I had the details, was in contact with someone who had driven the route many times before, who I could call upon when confused, and knew the way I was supposed to be going.

The next 6 1/2 hours, Mildred kept trying to tell me to get off the road and go another direction. A couple of times I checked in with Dad to confirm that yes, I was still really going the way I was supposed to. And finally, FINALLY, I arrived.

How many times in life do we blindly go along, basing our thoughts, opinions, and critical decisions on what someone else says, on an article we read, a news report we see, an innuendo someone makes? I don't know about you, but I'm finding it more and more difficult to discern what our culture believes to be truth, and I'm not sure that I want to buy into its definition.

What do you put your faith in? Where do you consult to make sure you're staying on the right "route"? Might I recommend the Bible? It doesn't change, if you consult it - and let it - it'll direct your steps. It'll even let you know when you need to make a u-turn. If you have an opportunity to participate in it, I would encourage you to check out The Truth Project. It'll help to open your eyes and clarify your route.

(By the way, my nephew thinks that the reason the GPS kept leading me astray was because she didn't like her name...he has renamed her "Annie"...we'll see if the name change makes a difference.)